Stair-rod securer



(No Model) M-RUSH.

STAIR ROD SECURER. No. 406,959. Patented July 16, 1889.

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573' "uml E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MADISON RUSH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STAlR-ROD SECURER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 406,959, dated July 16,1889.

Application filed January 29, 1839. Serial No. 298,013. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, MADISON RUSH, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and count-y of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Stair-Rod Securers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My improvements belong to a class of contrivances employed to securestrips of earpeting upon steps or stairs, and they are especiallyapplicable in side-inclosed stairways, or those the risers and treads ofwhich are boxed in at the side by skirting boards, by wainscots, or bywalls, in which the lateral or end-wise movement of the rod itselfthrough a permanently attached loop fastener is impossible, and in whichin consequence the rod has to be applied directly against the Jface ofthe riser and not slid in from the end thereof.

The object of my invention is the construction of a strong and easilyapplied stair rod securer, which may, without alteration of appearanceor position with reference to the rod and step in connection with whichit is employed, be applied in connection with a securing staple driveneither into the riser of the step or into the wainscoting, skirtingboard, or wall at the end of the rod.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of acarpeted stairway, illustrating the application of a stair rod securerembodying nIy invention when the staple is driven into the riser. Fig.is a similar view of the same, when the staple is driven into theskirting board. Figs. 3 and l are respectively a perspective and a sideelevational view of a stair rod securer embodyingl my invention anddesigned to secure rods of a form different from that represented inFigs. l and 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the stair rodsecurer and staple shown in Fig. l, the stair rod being shown in dottedlines. Fie'. G is an elevational detail of the securing key. Fig. 7 isaview of a Inetal blank adapted to be bent up to form a stair rodsecurer embodying my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A indicates the treads, I5

a fixed staple or kindred device secured to the riser or skirting board,and serving to secure it. The keeper consists of a web portion, and oftop and bottom portions e which latter are angled forwardly and bent tothe shape required to hold a stair rod of the particular form employed.III Figs. l, 2, and 5, the portions e are, as stated, angled outWardly,-then bent. toward each other for a short distance, and then away fromeach other, the grooves or channels thus formed being adapted to receivethe edges of such a stair rod as is shown applied to them. In Figs. 3and t the portions e are simply curved in toward each other so as to beadapted to hold not only stair rods of the form shown in said tiguresbut of Inany other forms. F is the key, preferably of the trident formshown, the eenter prong of which is adapted to be engaged With clipswhich are a part of the web portion of the keeper, and the side prongsof which are adapted to engage in the staple or kindred device employed.The key as to its upwardly prolonged central prong or handle extendsthrough a key slot f formed in the upper forwardly angled portion e ofthe keeper. Flaps cut from the substance of the keeper form tongues orclips G, which are bent so as to extend toward each other, and toreceive between them, free for vertical sliding Inovement, the centerprong of the key F, for which they serve both as a holder and a guideway. The handle of the key is passed through the aperture f, and itscentral prong engaged with the clips Gwithin the keeper in the course ofthe bending up of the latter, and so as t0 be practically non separabletherefrom. The slots or apertures g formed in the blank by the turningup of the tongues or clips G serve as openings through either of whichmay present a staple II. In Fig. 1 the staple is driven into the riserof the stair, and, presenting through the right hand slot g of thekeeper E, is engaged by the right hand prong of the IOO theskirtingboard of the stairway in such position that its head lies in the righthand slot g of the keeper E, and in line to be engaged by the right handprong of the key F.

In the employment of the device the staple or other retaining devicesare fixed in the risers or the skirting board as the case may be, andthe keepers with the keys in position within them are slid to the properposition upon the rods. The rods and keeper are then placed against thestaples and the keys lifted to the extent of their upward movement,whereupon the staples present through the apertures g, and the keys aredropped so as to engage the staples and thereby secure the rods.

It is obvious that instead of having keys provided with three prongs,and keepers provided with two slots g, it would be possible and withinthe scope of my invention to have but two prongs to each key and oneslot g to each keeper, an arrangement which would however constitutethem right and left handed and involve manufacturing Vand selling themin pairs. It is apparent that when the staple is driven into theskirting board the slot g is not essential, as the said. staple couldlie altogether aside of the/web portion -1f3`6-6f the keeper and stillbe in position for engagement by the key F. The advantages of theforegoing construction not already referred to, are that the pin cannotbe removed from the keeper thus making it impossible for the key to beseparated from the keeper and lost ;-that the clips G which hold the keybetween them guide its descent and elevation;-and that the key serves tobrace and rigidify the keeper and distribute the strain upon it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

l. The combination to form a stair rod securer, of a keeper having clipswhich form a guideway and forwardly bent rod-engaging bottom and topportions the latter of which embodies an aperture, and a key mounted insaid keeper formed with a head which presents through said aperture andwith prongs one of which is engaged in the aforesaid guideway andanother adapted to engage a staple, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination to form a stair rod seourer, of a keeper havingstaple slots formed in it and forwardly bent rod-engaging bottom and topportions the latter of which embodies an aperture, and a key mounted insaid keeper and formed with a head which presents through said apertureand with prongs one of which is engaged in the aforesaid guideway andanother adapted to engage a staple, substantially as set forth.

3. In a stair rod securer, in combination, a

keeper provided with devices to engage a stair rod, clips cut from thesubstance of the keeper and bent up to form holders for a key, a stapleadapted to present through the slot formed by the folding in of a clip,and a key mounted in said keeper the handle of which projects through anaperture in the upper portion thereof, one prong of which is engagedwith said clips and the other adaptedl to engage with said staple, asspecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereuntosigned my name this 17th day of January, A. D. 1889. MADISON RUSH. Inpresence of- WM. (l. STRAWBRIDGE, F. NORMAN DIXON.

